Talking-picture machine



Aug. 9, 1927.

- T. W. CASE TALKING PICTURE MACHINE Filed July 24, 1926 l I l l I n Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE WILLARD CASE, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CASE RESEARCH L'ABORATORY INCORPORATED, 0F AUBURN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TALKING-PICTURE MACHINE.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in talking picture machines.

In the production or reproduction of a film record corresponding to sound wave variations, it is essential that the film should move in close relation with the slit through which the film is exposed to light rays and the main object of this invention is the production of a structure in which the film is pressed or held tightly against the slit-- containing unit or structure, while at the same time the portion of the film containing said record is not exposed to frictional or sliding contact with the member which maintains the film against the slit unit, whereby the possibility of injuring the record is eliminated.

Other objects and advantages relate to the details of the structure and the parts thereof, all as will more fully appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which c Figure 1 is an elevation partially in section of an apparatus of this invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure- 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the slit unit.

The apparatus as here illustrated comprises a moving picture machine, a portion of which is illustrated at -1- combined in this instance with a replaceable talking picture unit including a fixed slit unit of desired construction. The replaceable talking picture unit comprises a body section 2-' including a flange -3-, in this instance extending at substantially right angles to the body, and formed with a plurality of openings for the reception of screws 4, three being illustrated in this instance and which are adapted to be threaded into openings in the wall 1 of the moving picture machine.

The body section 2 further includes longitudinally extending tracks -5 and 6, in this instance spaced apart and elevated above the central portion of the body 2 and longitudinally extending lateral guides 36 and 7 disposed upon opposite sides of and elevated above the respective tracks 5 and 6- and upon which tracks the film A is adapted to ride between the guides 36 and 7.

One of these guides as 7 is preferably laterally movable with respect to the body -2 so as to tightly engage the adjacent edge of the film A and hold the opposite edge in contact with the guide 36. For this reason the guide 7 is formed with laterally extending slots 8 adapted to receive-screws 9- which extend into openings in the body, and as the strip -7 lies in substantial contact with the wall -1, this wall is formed with one or more recesses 10 adapted to receive coil springs 11- which bear against the outer edge of the guide -7 and tend to force it inwardly toward the guide 36 so that the film will at all times be tightly confined between the guides.

The track 5 in this illustration is formed with a recess Within which there is secured by cementing or otherwise, a slit unit 12 or a member containing an elongated, extremely narrow slit 13, the body 2 being formed with a comparatively large opening underlying the slot so that light rays from a suitable source may pass through the body and the slot to the film. This slit unit may preferably be constructed of a base plate letof a transparent material, such as glass, having deposited thereon in vaporized form or in the form of minutely subdivided particles an extremely thin layer '15 of opaque material, such as a metallike silver, and in this opaque layer l5- the slot -13- is ruled. An extremely thin cover glass -16 is then secured by such a material as Canada balsam, permanently in place over the slot 18 and is preferably of a size substantially equal to the size of the base plate -14 so as to form a symmetrical unit.

This unit is placed in the recess formed in the track 5- adapted to receive it, and the recess is preferably of such a size that the slit unit fits it, and the surface of the cover glass 16 is flush with the surface of the track.

In order to prevent the accumulation of dirt and foreign matter at the juncture of the guide 36 and track adjacent the slit 13', the guide 36 is cut away .at its inner edge so as to form a lateral recess 17.which preferably extends some distance upon opposite sides of the slit unit .12-' and the floor of this recess is flush with and forms a continuation loo 5 at a point of the track 5-- so that there is no angular part at points adjacent the slit unit to collect dirt or foreign matter.

Means is provided for holding the film in tight contact with the tracks 5- and -6, and in this illustration that means takes the form of telescoping tubes 18 and -19, one of which as 18 is connected at its base by screws or otherwise to the wall 1- of the moving picture ma chine, and the other section, such as 19-' carries at its forward end a plate 20, which plate in turn carries a plurality of, in this instance two, shoes 2l one for pressing the film into contact with each of the tracks 5- and 6-, and the shoe which is adapted to hold the film in contact with the track 5- is formed with a longitudinal groove 26 extending throughout substantially the entire length of the shoe and registering with or overlying the narrow portion b of the film, which contains the record corresponding to sound wave variations so that the portion bof the film in passing beneath the shoe 21- does not contact with the shoe, but the flanges upon opposite sides of the groove or channel 2G- bear against the film at the opposite edges of the sound record and hold the film in tight contact with the slit-containing unit.

At a point overlying the slit 18 the base of the groove or channel 2- is formed with an opening 27 here shown as of circular form, altho the form and size may be varied. The shoes -21- are supported from the plate -20 by means of pins 31- secured to the shoes and extending through the plate in a slidable manner, springs -22 being mounted on the pins beneath the shoes and the plate m that the shoes are urged by respective springs to ward the tracks 5 and 6 to resiliently hold the film in contact with the tracks.

The telescoping tubes 18 and 19-- are slidably secured together by means of stud --24: secured to the tube 18 and extending outwardly therefrom, and positioned in an elongated slot 25 in the tube -19-.

With this construction the film is held in tight contact with the tracks 5 and -6- and the longitudinal channel or groove -26 in the shoe 21 permits the passage of the sound record beneath the shoe without frictional or sliding contact of the shoe with the effective portion of the sound record, while the opening 27 through the base of the channel or groove at a point registerin with or overlying the slit -13 permits the passage of light rays to and from the film.

The novel features of the structure here disclosed, except those specifically relating to the longitudinal groove 26- in the shoe and the opening -Q7 in the base of said groove or channel in combination with the other cooperating parts of the structure are claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 95,593 filed March 18, 1926, for talking moving picture machines, and altho I have shown and described a specific form of strue ture as constituting a perhaps preferred em bodiment of this invention, I do not desire to restrict myself to the details of the structure or the form thereof, as various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A talking picture apparatus for use in connection with a film having a narrow sound record near one edge of the film comprising a body portion having tracks at opposite sides upon which the film is adapted to ride, and a shoe for holding the film in contact with one of said tracks and having an elongated groove adapted to overlie the sound record portion of the film, a slit unit in the last-named track, and said shoe having an openin leading to the groove and registering wit said slit unit.

2. A talking picture apparatus for use in connection with a film having or adapted to have a narrow sound record near one edge of the film comprising a body portion having tracks at opposite sides upon which the film is adapted to ride, and a shoe for holding the film in contact with one of said tracks and having an elongated groove adapted to overlie the sound record portion of the film so as not to contact with this portion of the film, the ends of the side wall upon opposite sides of the groove contacting with the film near opposite sides of the sound record, a slit unit in the last-named track and said shoe having an opening leading to the groove and registering with said slit unit to permit the passage of light rays.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of July, 1926.

THEODORE WVILLARD CASE.

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